A SHOPLIFTER who carried out a spate of alcohol thefts was struggling with being ‘ostracised’ after he was accused of a serious crime.

Deri Hendren, 39, stole hundreds of pounds worth of booze from a Workington supermarket over a three-day period.

He was jailed at Workington Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to five charges of theft from a shop and breaching a suspended sentence order.

Outlining the case, prosecutor Pamela Fee said Hendren had stolen six rump steaks worth £28.50 from Iceland in Workington on October 29. He was on bail for this offence when he carried out further thefts.

On November 7, he stole bottles of vodka worth £112.50 from Tesco in Workington. He placed the items in his jacket, then left the store, setting the alarms off.

Later that day, he returned to the store and stole a bottle of Smirnoff vodka worth £24.

The following day, he went back to the store and stole four bottles of vodka worth £142.

Then on November 9, he entered Tesco in Workington again and stole another four bottles of vodka worth £142.

All of the offences were caught on CCTV. Some of the items were recovered by police.

The court heard that Hendren was subject to a suspended sentence order imposed in April for possession of a bladed article.

Mike Woolaghan, defending, said: “He enters his guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.

“Life has been very much a struggle for him. He has been isolated. He was accused of a very serious offence. He was on bail for that offence for a long period of time. He was released without charge.

“He was ostracised within his own family and own community. He’s struggling to cope.”

Magistrates activated the suspended sentence order and jailed Hendren for a total of 12 weeks.

Hendren, of Fisher Street, Workington, was ordered to pay £278.50 in compensation to Tesco and £28.50 in compensation to Iceland.